About the Execution of Managed Software Delivery Policies

When a Managed Software Delivery policy runs on a managed computer, it performs a series of tasks that are grouped into the following phases:
When you schedule a Managed Software Delivery policy, you can assign different schedules for compliance and remediation. For example, you can schedule the compliance status to be reported during the day and the remediation to occur only during a maintenance window.
The ability to separate compliance and remediation also allows for the offline execution of Managed Software Delivery policies. When the compliance check determines that a remediation is required, the policy downloads the appropriate package. Remediation can occur even if the client computer is not connected to the server because the client computer already has the package that it needs.
How the compliance phase of Managed Software Delivery works
Step
Action
Description
Step 1
Policy execution
Starts the policy’s compliance process at the scheduled time on the client computer.
Step 2
Compliance check
Evaluates the software resource’s unique identifier or detection rule to determine whether the software resource is installed on the client computer. The software resource’s unique identifier is used when the software resource is not associated with a detection rule.
The compliance check runs for each software resource in the Managed Software Delivery policy.
This compliance check determines whether the software is in the correct state. The correct state of a software resource can mean that it is installed or that it is not installed.
If all the software in the Managed Software Delivery policy is in the correct state, it is compliant. Therefore, remediation is not needed and the policy execution stops. If any or all of the software is not in the correct state, it is out of compliance. Therefore, remediation is required and the policy execution continues.
Step 3
Applicability check
Determines whether the client computer has the correct environment for an installation of the software. If the computer does not have the correct environment, the policy execution stops.
The applicability check runs for each software resource in the Managed Software Delivery policy that is associated with an applicability rule.
Step 4
Package download
Downloads the package for each software resource or task in the Managed Software Delivery policy that requires a package.
The package download might not be required when the remediation action is to uninstall the software. In that case, the package download is skipped.
The Managed Software Delivery policy downloads the package as follows:
  • Download the package to the client computer.
  • Create a snapshot of the package that is on the client computer and compare it to the snapshot on the package server.
    If the package is already on the client computer because of a recurring delivery or a delivery re-attempt, its existing snapshot is used for comparison.
  • If the snapshots do not match, re-download the package.
    A mismatch can occur when some kind of interception has corrupted the package.
When the package download is successful, the compliance process is finished and the policy is ready for the remediation process.
How the remediation phase of Managed Software Delivery works
Step
Action
Description
Step 1
Compliance check
Determines whether the software is installed on the client computer.
This compliance check ensures that the software is still in the same state as it was during the compliance process. For example, if the remediation was scheduled to run later than the compliance process, the software might have been installed or uninstalled in the interim.
If the remediation is still required, the process continues.
Step 2
Remediation action
Installs, uninstalls, or performs any other remediation action that the software requires.
If the Managed Software Delivery policy contains multiple software resources and tasks, they are executed in the order in which they appear in the policy.
If the package installation starts, and the target computer or user remains available, the installation continues to the end even after the scheduled end time and date of the remediation process.
Step 3
Compliance check
Determines whether the software resource is installed on the client computer.
This compliance check provides the information for reporting the results to Notification Server.
Step 4
Report to Notification Server
The Symantec Management Agent on the client computer reports the results of the Managed Software Delivery process to Notification Server. You can obtain information about the results from the compliance reports and the delivery reports in Software Management Solution.
You can view the progress status of a Managed Software Delivery policy in the Resource Manager, at
View > Inventory > Data classes
, in the data class
Managed Software Delivery Policy Progress Status
.
The policy progress status is reported if you check the option
Enable reporting of a policy progress status
in the
Reporting
section. This section is available at the following locations:
  • On the
    Managed Delivery Settings
    page, on the
    Run
    tab
  • On the Managed Software Delivery policy page, on the
    Policy settings
    tab.
Note that this option is disabled by default.
The following table explains how compliance tasks run with different schedules.
Behavior of the compliance process that occurs on different schedules
Condition
Result
You schedule compliance and enable no advanced options.
Compliance occurs at the scheduled time.
If the target computer or user is not available at the scheduled time, compliance occurs as soon as the target computer or user is available.
You schedule compliance to repeat by clicking
No repeat
and selecting the appropriate period of time from the
Repeat every
drop-down list.
Compliance occurs at the scheduled time.
If the target computer or user is not available at the scheduled time, compliance occurs at the next scheduled time.
You schedule compliance and specify an end date for it in the
Advanced options
dialog box.
Compliance occurs at the scheduled time and until the scheduled end date.
If the target computer or user is available after the scheduled time but before the end date, compliance occurs as soon as the target computer or user is available and until the scheduled end date.
If the target computer or user is not available by the scheduled end date, compliance never occurs.
You specify an end date for compliance in the
Advanced options
dialog box. Then you schedule compliance to repeat by clicking
No repeat
and selecting the appropriate period of time from the
Repeat every
drop-down list.
Compliance occurs at the scheduled time until the scheduled end date.
If the target computer or user is available after the scheduled time but before the scheduled end date, compliance occurs at the next scheduled time until the scheduled end date.
If the target computer or user is not available by the scheduled end date, compliance never occurs.
You schedule compliance, specify an exact time for it, and check the advanced option
Computer is available at the exact scheduled time
in the
Advanced options
dialog box.
Compliance occurs at the scheduled time.
If the target computer or user is not available at the scheduled time, then compliance never occurs.
You specify an exact time for compliance and check the advanced option
Computer is available at the exact scheduled time
in the
Advanced options
dialog box. Then you schedule compliance to repeat by clicking
No repeat
and selecting the appropriate period of time from the
Repeat every
drop-down list.
Compliance occurs at the scheduled time.
If the target computer or user is not available at the scheduled time, compliance occurs at the next scheduled time.
You schedule compliance, specify an exact time and an end date for it, and check the advanced option
Computer is available at the exact scheduled time
in the
Advanced options
dialog box.
Compliance occurs at the scheduled time until the scheduled end date.
If the target computer or user is available after the scheduled time but before the scheduled end date, then compliance never occurs.
If the target computer or user is not available by the scheduled end date, compliance never occurs.
You specify an exact time and an end date for compliance and check the advanced option
Computer is available at the exact scheduled time
in the
Advanced options
dialog box. Then you schedule compliance to repeat by clicking
No repeat
and selecting the appropriate period of time from the
Repeat every
drop-down list.
Compliance occurs at the scheduled time until the scheduled end date.
If the target computer or user is available after the scheduled time but before the scheduled end date, compliance occurs at the next scheduled time and until the scheduled end date.
If the target computer or user is available after the scheduled time on the scheduled end date, compliance never occurs.
If the target computer or user is not available by the scheduled end date, compliance never occurs.
You schedule compliance and specify a schedule window for it.
Compliance occurs during the schedule window.
If the target computer or user is not available during the schedule window, compliance occurs as soon as the target computer or user is available.
You specify a schedule window for compliance. Then you schedule compliance to repeat by clicking
No repeat
and selecting the appropriate period of time from the
Repeat every
drop-down list.
Compliance occurs during the schedule window.
If the target computer or user is not available during the schedule window, compliance occurs during the next schedule window.
You schedule compliance and specify a schedule window and an end date for it.
Compliance occurs during the schedule window until the scheduled end date.
If the target computer or user is available after the schedule window but before the scheduled end date, compliance occurs as soon as the target computer or user is available and until the scheduled end time and end date.
If the target computer or user is not available by the scheduled end date, compliance never occurs.
You specify a schedule window and an end date for compliance. Then you schedule compliance to repeat by clicking
No repeat
and selecting the appropriate period of time from the
Repeat every
drop-down list.
Compliance occurs during the schedule window until the scheduled end time and end date.
If the target computer or user is available after the schedule window but before the scheduled end date, compliance occurs during the next schedule window and until the scheduled end time and date.If the target computer or user is available after the schedule window on the scheduled end date, compliance never occurs.
If the target computer or user is not available by the scheduled end date, compliance never occurs.
You specify a schedule window and set the appropriate period of time from the
During window, check every
drop-down list.
Compliance occurs during the schedule window on the scheduled start date that you specify in the
Advanced options
dialog box.
If the target computer or user is not available during the schedule window, compliance never occurs.
You specify a schedule window and set the appropriate period of time from the
During window, check every
drop-down list. Then you schedule compliance to repeat by clicking
No repeat
and selecting the appropriate period of time from the
Repeat every
drop-down list.
Compliance occurs during the next recurring check in the schedule window.
If the target computer or user is available during the last recurring check in the schedule window, compliance occurs during to next schedule window.
If the target computer or user is not available during the schedule window, compliance occurs during the next schedule window.
You specify a schedule window and an end date for compliance. Then you set the appropriate period of time from the
During window, check every
drop-down list.
Compliance occurs during the schedule window and until the scheduled end time on the scheduled start date that you specify in the
Advanced options
dialog box. Specifying the end date does not influence the compliance process in this case.
If the target computer or user is not available on the scheduled start date, compliance never occurs.
You specify a schedule window and an end date for compliance. Then you set the appropriate period of time from the
During window, check every
drop-down list. Then you schedule compliance to repeat by clicking
No repeat
and selecting the appropriate period of time from the
Repeat every
drop-down list.
Compliance occurs during the next recurring check in the schedule window and until the scheduled end date.
If the target computer or user is available during the last recurring check in the schedule window, compliance occurs during the next schedule window and until the scheduled end date.
If the target computer or user is available during the last recurring check in the schedule window on the scheduled end date, compliance never occurs.
If the target computer or user is not available by the scheduled end date, compliance never occurs.
The remediation process starts only after the compliance process is finished. Remediation occurs once and cannot repeat. You can schedule the remediation action to occur immediately, during the next maintenance window, or on the specified schedule.
You can specify an end date for the remediation process. However, if the package installation starts, and the target computer or user remains available, the installation continues to the end even after the scheduled end date.
The following table explains how remediation tasks run with different schedules.
Behavior of the remediation process that occurs on different schedules
Condition
Result
You schedule remediation and enable no advanced options.
Remediation occurs at the scheduled time.
If the target computer or user is not available at the scheduled time, remediation occurs as soon as the target computer or user is available.
You schedule remediation and specify an end date for it.
Remediation occurs at the scheduled time.
If the target computer or user is available after the scheduled time but before the scheduled end date, remediation occurs as soon as the target computer or user is available.
If remediation finishes the compliance check before the scheduled end date, remediation action occurs and continues to the end even after the scheduled end date.
If the target computer or user is not available by the scheduled end date, remediation never occurs.
You schedule remediation, specify an exact time for it, and check the advanced option
Computer is available at the exact scheduled time
in the
Advanced options
dialog box.
Remediation occurs at the scheduled time.
If the target computer or user is not available at the scheduled time, remediation never occurs.
You schedule remediation, specify an exact time and end date for it, and check the advanced option
Computer is available at the exact scheduled time
in the
Advanced options
dialog box.
Remediation occurs at the scheduled time.
If the target computer or user is available after the scheduled time but before the scheduled end date, remediation never occurs.
If the target computer or user is not available by the scheduled end date, remediation never occurs.
You schedule remediation to occur during the next maintenance window.
Remediation occurs at the scheduled time.
If the target computer or user is not available at the scheduled time, remediation occurs during the next maintenance window.